First issue 2013 2014

Sophomore interns at music studio.

How to deal with summer withdrawal and get back into school mode

Staffer shares her summer experience at piano festival.

PG. 6

THEORACLE

PG. 3

NON-PROFIT ORG

Junior explores filmmaking.

PG. 7

PG. 2

Palo Alto Unified School District Henry M. Gunn High School 780 Arastradero Rd Palo Alto, CA 94306 U.S. Postage

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Permit #44 Palo Alto, Calif.

Henry M. Gunn High School

http://gunnoracle.com/

Thursday, August 15, 2013 Volume 51, Special Edition

780 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306

New gym and English/Math Building open for use

Anthony Tran

Titan Gym

The much anticipated Titan Gym (center) is open for use and serves as the school’s second gymnasium. Spirited red and black bleachers line the playing court (top left), and lockers are available in the team rooms (bottom left). In addition, the Titan Gym has a weight room (top right), where students and athletes can use the new fitness machines, and a dance room. The outdoor basketball courts offer another location for students to shoot some hoops (bottom right).

Anthony Tran

English/Math Building

The newly constructed Building N (center) houses all the English and math classrooms. Teachers unpack their supplies and settle into their new offices (top left) in order to get ready for the new academic year. Plenty of new bike racks line the side of the building (bottom left), and classrooms, restrooms and water fountains surround the courtyard (top right). The building has an elevator, in addition to many stairs, to connect the two floors (bottom right).

A Freshman’s First-Day-of-School To-do List 1. Transfer into beginning journalism.

4. Find the library, Student Activities Center (SAC) and Academic Center (AC) and ask about the resources that are available to you.

7. Introduce yourself to someone new.

2. Visit the senior quad, but don’t step on it.

5. Remind a friend about the freshmen ice cream social on Tuesday, August 30 and get pumped for it.

8. Consider running for student government.

3. Visit the new gym.

6. Buy some Gunn gear (t-shirts, sweatpants, etc.) in the SAC.

9. Buy a snack from the snack line.

—Compiled by Roy Shadmon

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THEORACLE

First Day of School Issue

Leah Hirsch takes part in prestigious film camp Danielle Yacobson Features Editor

Two lakes stretched out on both sides of junior Leah Hirsh as she stepped onto the campus of Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan.

She was about to embark on a six-week digital filmmaking intensive program that would transform her into an inspired artist.

Hirsh was determined to have a productive summer and, having taken a year of broadcasting, decided to look into various film programs. She stumbled across the Interlochen website, which intimidated her with the “prestige” and “selectivity” the camp’s home page described.

Hirsh worked on the extensive application packet which included a written essay, her transcript, and a reel of her film work. To her surprise, she received the acceptance letter and a brochure titled “You Are an Artist” a month before the expected date, as one of thirteen admitted students. “I’m an artist?” Hirsh recalls thinking. “I had never considered myself an ‘artsy’ person before. I was mind-boggled.”

The only downside to the camp seemed to be the horrendous uniform. “The shorts were the ugliest article of clothing I had ever seen,” she said. But with an obnoxiously loud trumpet call at 6:40 a.m. each day blasting over the high-school girls’ division of the camp, Hirsh

Courtesy of Leah Hirsh

Hirsh and her classmates prepare to shoot for one of their many projects.

admitted that having clothes picked out was a huge timesaver. The girls had only five minutes to shuffle out to the tennis courts for “lineup,” where they would hear announcements from a high-pitched spirit prep counselor called “Sugar Shell”. They spent the next half hour doing chores in the cabin and fighting eleven other girls for one of the four sinks and a peek in the only mirror. She then moved on to her daily schedule consisted of four core classes: editing, film history, screen-writing, and film production.

The film students collectively produced four short films by the end of the program.

They were each instructed to write their own script, of which the staff chose four to be pro-

duced. The thirteen members of the program were then split into two production teams.

Hirsh was the assistant-director (AD) for Candy Crush, a film about innocent and awkward teenage romance, and director of photography for a second film called Time of Death. “Apparently I’m a born AD,” she said. “I can think of all the problems three minutes before they occur and make sure they don’t happen.”

Hirsh had also written a longer screenplay by the end of her Interlochen experience about a girl who struggles with dyslexia in school.

The majority of the plotline is based on her own experiences and memories having had to cope with dyslexia herself. “It was so rewarding that a screenplay that was so raw and close to me had the best reaction,” she said. “The only thing the staff had critique on was that I had spelling errors, which is actually kind of ironic.”

“I have zero regrets with going to Interlochen,” Hirsh said while recalling the long list of techniques and skills she had learned. Not only did she expand her knowledge in film, but also she had the opportunity to work with talented young artists from all over the country. “Where else are you going to have orchestra music playing with opera singers and dancers with ribbons on top of the roof?” she said remembering the closing performance at the camp.

Freshmen attend new transition program Lucy Oyer

Managing Editor

On the last week of summer, 50 incoming freshmen joined a number of upperclassmen “Ground Crew” and FACES Silicon Valley staff to participate in Gunn’s first Common Ground transition program.

Students engaged in community-building activities to help lay a foundation for their passage into high school.

The program was sponsored and created

by Silicon Valley FACES, the same organization that runs Camp Everytown and other leadership-training events. Though this was the first year of Common Ground at Gunn, FACES has been successfully running a version at Fremont High School in Sunnyvale for 11 years. The idea for the program came from Camp Everytown delegates who

suggested they would have benefited from a similar program before starting high school.

The cost was subsidized by a grant from the Palo Alto Community Fund and students were asked to pay 25 dollars each.

Common Ground does not aim to replace Gunn’s traditional freshman orientation that is held the day before school begins each year—instead it offers a more rounded experience. “Most freshman orientation programs focus on logistics, not the social-emotional learning that FACES specializes in,” FACES Education Director Amanda Freeman said. “This is an addition to orientation, a different spin on how to be successful in High School.”

The three-day agenda includes numerous activities to help prepare freshmen to deal with issues they may experience in high school. “[The program] was designed to

allow students to let students take a deep breath and learn a little bit more before they come in, but we still have fun,” Freeman said. An example activity involved a student standing in the middle of a circle as their peers threw them tennis balls representing all the stress factors they feared they would face in high school. They couldn’t catch them all because it is impossible to “juggle” so many things and subsequently facilitators held a discussion about ways to deal with stress.

Dean of Students James Lubbe believes Common Ground was successful and expects the program to return for next year.

He hopes the goal of 100 students enrolling will be met. “I think it was really good for the first year,” Lubbe said. “Through the activities, it gives freshmen a feeling of community on campus.”

First Day of School Issue

Monday, August 15, 2013

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THEORACLE 780 Arastradero Rd. Palo Alto, CA 94306 (650) 354-8238 www.gunnoracle.com

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Catalina Zhao Managing Editors Mitch Donat Lucy Oyer News Cooper Aspegren Nabeel Chollampat Lawrence Chen Forum Ben Atlas Leon Cheong Klaire Tan Features Rebecca Alger Chaewon Lee Danielle Yacobson Centerfold Rachel Lew Stephanie Zhang Sports Lena Campbell Alvin Wang Erica Watkins Entertainment Samantha Acker Misheel Enkhbat Noa Livneh Photo Audey Shen Graphics Jasmine Garnett

Staff Copy Anuva Ganapathi Kavya Padmanabhan Tim Wang Tech Pooja Belur Roy Shadmon Business/Circulation Erica Lee Shireen Ahsan (Asst.)

Matt Niksa (Asst.)

Regina Tran (Asst.)

Photographers Stephanie Kim Anthony Tran Graphics Artists Paige Anderson Alexandra Gong Anton Oyung Carolyn Zhou Dave Zhu Reporters Shawna Chen, Aayush Dubey, Kush Dubey, Lisa Hao, Emily Kvitko, Christine Lin, Alex Man, Henry Siu, Andy Zhou Adviser Kristy Blackburn

Courtesy of Brick and Mortar Recording LLC

Left: The Apogee AD/DA 16X Converter is used for recording, mastering and post-production. Middle: The preamp helps reduce the effects of noise and interference. Right: Segments of tape are manipulated with a reel-to-reel audio tape recorder.

Student interns at recording studio and makes beats Klaire Tan Forum Editor

Having lyrics stuck in his head isn’t an issue for sophomore Brian Lei. After all, when a song comes up on the radio, Lei tunes out the lyrics completely, choosing to listen to the beats of the song instead.

“Beats” is a term used in modern pop music to describe an entire composition of music. According to Lei, it is the beats, not the lyrics, that really make a song.

“People will say a song is by Beyoncé or someone, but the beat is actually a Hit-Boy beat,” he said.

“However, for some reason it’s still called a Beyoncé song, even though all she did was sing some lyrics that she probably didn’t even write herself.”

Lei made the jump from oldfashioned piano lessons to mixing his own beats the year before high school after getting his first taste of music production soft-

ware. He found that by simply playing a few notes on a keyboard connected to the computer, he could add nearly any instrument he would like to the mix. One thing led to another, and soon, Lei was producing his own beats.

After posting his music onto YouTube and receiving purchase requests, Lei decided to take his hobby a step further by uploading his beats to SoundClick, an online website where artists can stream, sell and license their music to others. Now, Lei is no longer producing music just as a hobby. He is now also looking into it as a possible career.

This summer, Lei had the opportunity to delve further into music production while working at Brick and Mortar Recording LLC, a recording studio in Los Angeles. For three weeks, Lei spent his days helping the professionals produce music. There, he met label companies, learned how to use industry standard produc-

tion software and watched audio engineers perform their magic.

At the end of July, Lei returned home with professional editing tips and a changed outlook on his production process.

“Before, I wasn’t as meticulous with my music production,” he said. “I wouldn’t take the time to put in the work that I thought needed to be put in.”

In addition to new skills, Lei also learned more about the social aspect of the music industry by interacting with production groups and artists in Los Angeles. “They taught me that the industry’s all just relationships,” he said. “It’s making connections with other people.”

Now back in Palo Alto, Lei is once again busy producing his own beats. While his bedroomturned-studio pales in comparison to the vast amount of room, dials and speakers available at Brick and Mortar, Lei is comfortable mixing his beats right where

he is.

With each project, Lei starts off by listening to parts of preexisting songs and taking a few seconds of music away from them here and there. He then continues to mix and match the tune with additional instruments on his software. “I will add drums and figure out what key the music is in,” Lei said. “Then I’ll add piano, and I always add bass and percussion, like hi-hats and crashes and open hats... just any other percussions.”

Anytime from two hours to a month later, Lei has a finished beat, produced in his own style that he describes as alternative hip-hop.

“When people listen to my music, they should think my music is different,” he said. “I don’t want them to think it’s the normal crap you hear on the radio.

It’s a lot different from that, but it’s still catchy enough that people should like it.”

family, and a few other families with children adopted from the Yangchun Orphanage as well.

The second project supported

by G.I.V.E. is called Teens For Takeo, which raises money for Bambino Gesu, a pediatric hospital in the Takeo Province of Cambodia. Since it is relatively small and free for all patients, Bambino Gesu lacks many supplies and medical equipment. In 2012, Chang traveled to the hospital where she assisted in recording patient information and documenting operations while her father and his medical team from Stanford University treated victims of a dengue fever epidemic.

Donations to G.I.V.E. purchased IV fluids and pain medications for the patients.

Chang spent her summer getting the word out about her nonprofit, and successfully raised $20,000 from donations made by family and friends. Part of the money raised purchased baby formula, toys, and extra materials for the orphanage, while some was donated to Beijing International Community for Chinese Orphans (B.I.C.C.O.). B.I.C.C.O. operates out of Beijing and works to pay for the therapists for special needs orphans with cerebral palsy. B.I.C.C.O. is also organizing a medical mission for orphans that need orthopedic surgery, so money raised by G.I.V.E. was invested in their trip. The final portion of the money is cur-

rently being donated to Half the Sky, a larger non-profit that improves many different orphanages in China.

Julia hopes to expand G.I.V.E. and leave a lasting foundation in Palo Alto as well. She is also working on involving her two

younger sisters and their friends.

“I know my efforts may be futile in the grand scheme of things,” Chang said. “But if I can improve even one child’s life by paying for therapy or giving them proper healthcare, then that is reason enough to keep G.I.V.E. going.”

Senior creates organization to assist disadvantaged Lena Campbell Sports Editor

While most students spend their summers lounging in front of the television, senior Julia Chang spent hers raising over $20,000 for her very own nonprofit organization, Girls International Volunteer Effort (G.I.V.E.).

Founded in 2011 by Chang, G.I.V.E. is made up of multiple projects supporting impoverished communities around the world. The first project is for the Yangchun Orphanage in the Guangdong province of China.

This project is especially important to Chang because when she was eight-years-old, her youngest sister Cecelia Chang was adopted from Yangchun. “I had always known that there were children who didn’t have a loving family like I am blessed with,” Chang said. “But visiting Cecilia’s orphanage really made that hit home.” Chang believes that children deserve a nurturing environment where they are provided a good education and healthcare.

However, this is not always the case, which is why G.I.V.E. fundraises programs revolving around pediatric healthcare. “Visiting the orphanage made me even more passionate about doing whatever I can to improve the lives of children living in impoverished regions,” Chang said. Chang visited the orphanage in June of this summer along with her entire

Courtesy of Julia Chang

Top: The orphanage in China where senior Julia Chang visited.

Bottom: Chang poses with the doctors she worked with in China.

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Campu

Welcome to Gunn: THEORACLE

Explore new parts of Gunn Campus:

*Icons correspond to places on map

A. New Gym

D

B. New Tennis Courts C. English/Math Building D. New Language Building Library Ever yone f rom t he workswamped student to the laid-back lounger can make good use of the library. The wide space offers students a wide variety of resources including computers, couches, private desks and, of course, books.

In addition, lap tops and books are available for checkout for a limited time. Overdue book owners are not charged a fee, but they will be prevented from attending graduation at the end of the school year if books are not turned in by the final deadline. Connected to the library is a small outside nook called the Acorn Lounge. Also in the library are the technology office and Adolescent Counseling Services (ACS) offices. The library often serves as a place for school events such as guest speeches and Advanced Placement (AP) testing. The main librarians are Katrina Bugyi and Meg Omainsky.

Library hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday.

Academic Center The Academic Center (AC) provides students with a relaxed atmosphere for doing homework, eating lunch and hanging out with friends. Students can access computers, textbooks, tables for work, a microwave, tea and other valuable resources. After school, the multi-purpose room also offers small treats such as candy, ramen noodles and other snacks. On occasion, students may find free food waiting on the front desk. The AC is often filled with students, and it can be a great place for recreation and chatty group work.

Throughout the year, the AC also hosts small events such as lottery drawings that can be enjoyed by the entire student populace. The staff are Hansen Sekona and Pam Steward.

The AC hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday.

A B Guidance Office Anyone looking for help with schedules, coursework, personal problems, and anything in between, can find it at the guidance office. The guidance counselors give personalized advice to those who seek them out in a one-on-one session. They can provide students with helpful information about various educational opportunities. Those wishing to see their counselors should make a prior appointments with their respective counselors, although drop-ins are permitted. Students can also find various pamphlets regarding work and volunteering, colleges, careers, standardized tests and more.

The nurse’s office is located at the end of the office. The guidance counselors are Bill Christensen, Myesha Compton, Derek Johansen, Lisa Kaye, Challis Michaels, Molly Michaelis and Deanna Mistele. Work Experience teacher Meri Gyves, guidance secretary Robin Francesconi, guidance technician Olga Celis are also located in the guidance office. College and Career Specialists Linda Kirsch and Leighton Lang and College Pathways counselor Monica Espinoza are located in the new College and Career Center.

The guidance office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

us

Map

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new and improved Thursday, August 15, 2013

SAC

The Student Activities Center (SAC) serves as a hotbed for student recreation, as well as the home of the Student Executive Council (SEC). The SAC sells t-shirts, sweatshirts, bus passes, yearbooks and, starting the first day of school for car poolers, parking permits.

Those looking for dance tickets should also stop by here. The multiroom complex houses the Student Lounge, two ping-pong tables, an air hockey table, couches, computers, vending machines and a hot chocolate and tea making station, making the SAC a perfect place to hang out during a prep, lunch or after school. The SAC’s staff are Kim Knaack and Leslie Kousnetz and Student Activities Director Lisa Hall.

SAC hours are from 8:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from Monday through Friday.

Spangenberg Legend has it that a swimming pool is located on the roof of the Spangenberg Theater, even though, to this date, not a single expedition has been mounted (by an underclassmen) to confirm a preposterous allegation of this kind. Along with its role in what may be Gunn’s most mysterious rumor, Spangenberg has served as the principle auditorium since 1965. Highly regarded for its wide-ranging versatility, the theatre functions as a site for school-wide assemblies, Advanced Placement (AP) test sign-ups, TED talks, student concerts and theatrical performances.

Named after Karl R. Spangenberg, a Stanford professor of Electrical Engineering, the theatre holds a maximum house occupancy of 953 people and an on stage occupancy of 160 people; yet there is no word on how many people can fit inside the purportedly real pool.

C

Main Office As intimidating as getting called to the principal’s office may sound, the office can actually provide students with information that can make life on campus less stressful.

The main office is the go-to for general questions. The main office secretaries Martha Elderon and Claudia Barahona will answer most inquiries, such as those concerning school hours or important dates. Visitors to the school who wish to park their car in the school parking lot must stop by the main office to pick up a temporary parking permit. Forms for the start of school, transferring or student visitors can also be picked up at and turned in to the main office. Those

Cafeteria The cafeteria is home to a variety of food options that change throughout the week. Students can visit the cafeteria during brunch and lunch to pick up food. The lunch line is usually long, but it shrinks down fairly quickly. Students can buy a full meal complete with a hot or cold entree, a drink, and fruit for $4.25. Those requiring financial aid can receive food for free. The cafeteria is equipped with vending machines for those who are looking for a quick bite or a refreshing drink. The vending machines hold a plethora of bars and chips among other snacks. The cafeteria staff are Rae Chang, Lisa Mahpour, Donna Martin, Caridad Torres and Maria Turner.

tracking down Principal Katya Villalobos or assistant principals Kimberly Cowell, Tom Jacoubowsky and Trinity Klein, or Dean of Students James Lubbe will most likely find them at the office too. Teacher boxes are located to the left of the office, so students trying in vain to reach their teachers physically can leave notes for them in the appropriate box.

Donations to school booster programs (i.g. sports boosters) The cafeteria is open during can be dropped off at the office. brunch and lunch hours.

The main office hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. from Monday to Friday.

Compiled by Cooper Aspegren, Leon Cheong, and Chaewon Lee

First Day of School Issue

While others traveled to foreign countries this summer, I got the chance to explore the literally harmonious grounds of what would be my incredibly special home for one week. I embarked on a journey that would take me through not only the different lives of composers, but also the emotional and political history of classical music.

Arriving in beautiful Manhattan, New York for the International Keyboard Institute and Festival, my friend Anna and I stepped onto the campus of The New School For Music at Mannes College. Beautiful crystalline melodies, a tad thunderous at certain moments, but always magnificent, brought the five-story building to life. Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to stand among 37 incredibly intelligent professors, to be surrounded by over 50 practice rooms in action? That precise feeling intoxicated me.

“Bam!” A man slammed the door of the practice room open as he yelled for me to get out. Eager to try a hand at the institute’s instruments, Anna and I had adventured upstairs where lustrous Steinway pianos filled the third floor. We had no idea that the building closed at 10:30 p.m. and we would end our first day at the festival by getting kicked out.

I woke up bright and early the next morning, full of adrenaline for my first event. The sun blazed through the window as racing taxis and blaring ambulances busied the streets of New York without respite. We stayed in a different location than the festival, in a dorm on the beautiful campus at Columbia University—the site offered a unique experience for someone that was not a college student.

Thirty blocks, two cups of coffee and an hour later, I began my first master class with a renowned professor of the Peabody Conservatory. As I commenced a piece called “Jeux d’eau” written by Impressionist composer Ravel, my emotions took over my hands. Dead silence filled the room as I finished; I was terrified that no one enjoyed my pianism.

“Not bad at all!” the professor finally remarked, to my relief. The lesson turned out to be incredibly helpful, from the different wrist relaxing techniques to the various musical interpretations. One tip I learned: to test your ability to execute a passage, play one hand on the wooden top of the piano while the other plays on the keys.

That night, my mind was blown and

Nabeel Chollampat News Editor

Today, the senior class unveiled its quad decorations and first day theme: “Haunted Hospital.” A long-running tradition at Gunn, the first day is a class-wide event in which seniors dress up and decorate the quad according to the theme.

According to Student Body President Justice Tention, the process of choosing the theme took some time. “We had a class-wide meeting before school ended last year in which we kind of brainstormed and debated on possibilities,” he said.

“Then, a lot of that thought process was taken into numerous Facebook polls and chosen from there.” ​According to senior Stephanie Do, the theme was meant to be more frightening than usual. “The haunted hospital is a place where all the patients are either dead or just creepy,” she said.

While the event is intended to intimidate incoming freshmen, Tention believes it serves larger purposes. “It is really a bonding experience for the entire class, to celebrate that, after three years, we are

finally at the top of the school,” he said. “It’s also just a celebration of and a kick-off to what should be an amazing school year.”

This year, the quad has been decorated with fake operating beds, severed limbs and bones strung around the top, and the main attraction in the middle. The ambulance’s back section is two eight feet by eight feet cubes pushed together, while the front cab is a smaller design. The crashed effect was created by chicken wire strung across the front, and the entire structure was covered in painted canvas to replicate a real ambulance. There is also a fog machine and working siren along with “bloody” handprints streaked across the sides.

Senior Class President Janet Titzler believes this theme is very exciting. “The coolest thing is that it’s very easy to dress up for, as either a patient or a doctor, and it’s really fun, too,” she said.

T ​ ention believes that the first day theme has been such a big part of Gunn culture from the beginning of every student’s high school career. “Once you’re a freshman, you see the senior’s first day decorations, and as you keep going, you get more and more excited for your senior year,” he said.

“So a lot of it has to do with anticipation.”

rn et t

Emily Kvitko

my emotions swept away. Pianist Ilya Yakushev took the stage. Wearing an interesting kimono, he played compositions by Prokofiev, Beethoven, and, for an encore, Chopin. Balanced with strength and character, his performance was technically impressive and musically moving. Yakushev’s playing remained brilliant through the concert, even after he performed the intense Sonatas. To say that I was impressed would be an understatement.

Another interesting escapade awaited during my master class with Professor Braginsky. Now this man is unique. “Well I had fun with that!” Braginsky cried, as soon as I finished playing. (I smiled and kept quiet as I wasn’t certain that the comment was good-natured). Mr. Braginsky told me about the time when Ravel’s Jeux d’eau was written. “The Impressionist period was simply about showing what you see, not what you feel,” he said.

Braginsky had a problem with my rubatos. A rubatos is the stretching of music by slowing down the playing. He told me a funny and yet important story that I will never forget: “A pianist has a limited amount of money to spend on rubatos, so she wants to buy the expensive ones, you know, the Chanel. She has no spare money for cheap rubatos.” We then started the piece from the beginning again, with an occasional, “Honey, nooo,” to be counterbalanced with, “Yes, much better, good.”

Finally, we reach the highlight of the festival. On Friday evening, we took our seats at pianist Federico Colli’s solo recital. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much because I had never had a strong liking for Mozart. Boy, was I in for a shock.

It was not a simple concert; Federico brought the music to life with such understanding and deep passion. I felt an immediate connection to him as he performed. His music filled the hall with its crystal clear sound and expressed his clear love for the piece. At one point, I thought I could hear an orchestra playing and a choir singing—I looked around to see who was humming but realized it was just the piano. Federico’s concert inspired me to connect with him as a mentor as well as study, learn and work harder as a pianist.

I am so grateful for the exceptional opportunity to attend the festival this summer. My experience completely changed my outlook toward piano; I feel driven to be the best pianist that I can be.

Most importantly, I learned the valuable life lesson that deeply understanding the meaning behind what you do is the magical key to unlock a whole new level of achievement.

Seniors dress up, decorate for their theme

Ga

Staffer shares festival summer experience

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THEORACLE

Jas m

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—Kvitko, a junior, is a Reporter.

Faces in the Crowd: New Teachers What was one fun thing you did this summer?

“I played with my two year old daughter a lot.”

“I competed as an Olympic weight-lifter.”

“I went to Japan to visit my old school where I used to teach.”

“I went on a road trip to the Oregon coast in Seattle.”

Michael Bautista (Math)

Jen Larson (SE)

Terence Kitada (English)

Tovah Skiles (Spanish) —Compiled by Pooja Belur

First Day of School Issue

How to deal with this year’s summer withdrawal

Thursday, August 15, 2013

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top Ten songs of 1964 #TBT to what the first class of Gunn high school students listened to.

1.

Oh, Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison

2.

3.

Can’t Buy Me Love - The Beatles

4.

She Loves You - The Beatles

5.

Hello, Dolly - Louis Armstrong

6.

I Want to Hold Your Hand - The Beatles

7.

I get Around - The Beach Boys

8.

My Guy - Mary Wells

9.

Louie Louie - The Kingsmen

Kavya Padmanabhan

The very utterance of the word, summer, brings to attention a mindless frivolity that does not accompany other seasons. With summer, you can live in another universe—one that does not involve grades and tests, and where the greatest concern is how to not get sunburned.

Summer is bliss. With the long days, you can de-stress from school and finally be able to get that tan you always wanted. But the sun has to set and school must begin.

There are two paths you can take when starting school again. You can either dream of the days when all you did was lay by the pool and bathe in the sun’s rays, or you can face reality and deal with withdrawal. As they say, admitting that there is a problem is the first step. And the problem is the end of summer.

However, there are ways to overcome the dreaded days of school; waking up at dawn, doing math problems and writing essays. My personal favorite is back to school shopping.

Who doesn’t love picking out new outfits? It’s a fresh start to a new year. With new outfits you can choose how you express yourself and what you want to do in them. You can start fresh and maybe even change up your whole style.

Then there are school supplies. The myriads of aisles dedicated to pencils and notebooks and backpacks can’t help but put a smile on your face. There’s something about a new notebook that makes you want to decorate the blank page with notes and drawings. The colors displayed on a page brighten up the environment and can make you more excited about school.

School supplies can help you to get back in to the school rhythm.

You can also make resolutions for the upcoming year. Maybe this year you will join a club, start a new sport or maybe even audition for a play. Engaging in a new activity not only takes your mind off of the painful start of school, but it also helps you to meet new people. By doing a new activity, you can discover a different part of yourself that you didn’t know was hiding. Resolutions help to get you excited about school because there are so many academic and recreational opportunities. By making a resolution, you can start thinking about different aspects of the year. It will help to make you excited about all that school does have to offer.

And then, of course, there’s Homecoming.

It’s impossible to hate a week of spirit, when everyone participates and dresses up. Homecoming week is full of games and laughter and joy, and you start to love your school and everyone in it. Homecoming week gives you an appreciation for the little things. But let’s not forget the Homecoming dance, which is the finale to a week of celebration. You dress nicely and go out and have a great night with friends.

Because it’s earlier this year than others, at the end of September, there is less of a wait as well.

It is certainly one more thing to look forward to.

Yes, summer might be over, but it isn’t the end of the world! A new chapter is starting. It might involve stress and schoolwork, but there are many people to meet and get to know. There are new opportunities everywhere. So start looking. And, of course, summer will come around again.

—Padmanabhan, a senior, is a Copy Editor.

Houseof the Rising Sun - The Animals

10. Don’t Worry Baby - The Beach Boys

“Fruitvale Station”

Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station is as powerful as any film released thus far this year. The movie focuses on the killing of unarmed BART passenger Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan, The Wire) by police officers on New Year’s 2009, chronicling Grant’s last hours along with the aftermath of the shooting. The film benefits tremendously from its multi-dimensional representation of Grant; while we end up liking this protagonist, Coogler makes Grant’s lack of innocence all too clear. Jordan gives what is probably the best performance of the year so far in this role; we’ll hopefully hear his name announced among the nominees for an Academy Award. In the end, every Gunn student can take something out of watching Fruitvale Station.

“2 Guns”

While Baltasar Kormákur’s 2 Guns benefits from the chemistry of its stars, Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg, it fails to bring any new substance to the buddy cop genre. The film begins with a nice twist: two drug dealers (Washington and Wahlberg) who realize they’re both undercover agents for separate governmental organizations, and find themselves on the run from crooked authorities. Even though the film features hilarious banter between Washington and Wahlberg, the plot is in general a stale rehash of superior fare like The Other Guys, making the movie less of an enjoyable experience. Nevertheless, 2 Guns is fun enough to be worth a rental if you have nothing better to do.

“The Wolverine”

James Mangold’s The Wolverine registers as fun escapist entertainment that rises above Marvel’s earlier dud Iron Man 3. Hugh Jackman reprises his role as the titular Wolverine a.k.a. Logan, once again owning his part as one of the most iconic cinematic superheroes the 21st Century has given us. Emotionally damaged after the events of X-Men: The Last Stand, Logan finds himself in Tokyo struggling to protect himself after another mutant compromises his healing powers. Well plotted and well crafted, The Wolverine presents interesting philosophical questions regarding mortality and immortality. Without a question, the film serves as an effective distraction from the start of school.

8

First Day of School Issue

THEORACLE

Myth:

Myth:

There is less drama.

There is a swimming pool on top of Spangenberg Theater.

Truth:

Even though high school drama might be different from middle school drama, it doesn’t get much easier. Sometimes, you might not even call it drama because it could be over the simplest things. But as long as you know how to cope, you will be able to shrug it off like it’s no big deal.

Truth: Myth:

In terms of classes, you’re on your own.

Myth:

Upperclassmen pick on you.

Truth:

If you’ve heard of Freshman Friday, a supposed day of the week dedicated to freshman hazing, rest your fears. It doesn’t exist. More likely than not, upperclassmen will join you in some of your classes. They will offer you advice and treat you like any other friend. Even though they may seem intimidating at first, they aren’t anyone to be afraid of.

Myth:

You will know the campus like the back of your hand by the end of the school year.

Truth:

You will be in charge of your own work and tests, and there will be less reminders to turn in homework.

However, teachers and classmates are going to be just as open and helpful as they were in middle school. If you don’t understand a problem on the homework or need guidance for an essay, don’t hesitate to email your teacher or set up an appointment to talk. There’s always Tuesday Tutorial too!

Myth:

Myth:

Grades are everything, and the workload is enormous.

Truth:

Even though you may start fretting over work and grades, try not to let the pressure get to you. If you manage your time wisely, homework shouldn’t be a huge problem. If you do notice yourself stressing to the point of developing anxiety issues, talk to a counselor and make sure your schedule isn’t too full. Grades are never everything, but it is important to learn and challenge yourself.

No matter how many upperclassmen try to tell you otherwise, there is no swimming pool. It has been a long-running gag to trick freshmen in this way, and I myself actually bought into the lie for a period of time. So if anyone tries to tell you about the swimming pool on top of the theater, don’t believe it!

Myth:

Food fights occur regularly.

Truth:

Although TV shows and movies like to portray high school campuses as arenas of battle at lunch, Gunn doesn’t tolerate litterers. Make sure you either eat your food or clean up before you leave for class.

You go off campus a lot.

Truth:

If you make a lot of upperclassmen friends, you’ll have a slightly bigger chance of roaming off school campus during lunch. For everyone else, your lunches remain at school. As a freshman, your main location for lunch is the Freshman Quad, and that’s where you’ll spend most of your time.

Truth:

By the end of the year, you’ll know your classrooms like the back of your hand, but there will be buildings you’ve never set foot in. Gunn is a campus of many secrets, so don’t be surprised if you still get lost on your first day next year.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Myth:

Everyone goes to Homecoming or Sadie’s with a date.

Truth:

Myth:

People streak from time to time.

Truth:

When I first entered Gunn, my head was clouded with rumors that students, specifically seniors, strip completely and run across campus on decided dates.

Thankfully, naked bodies aren’t an annual tradition, although there was one lunch period last year when a few students streaked across campus. Hopefully, that’s a sight you will not see.

It is incredibly sweet when you ask or get asked to a dance, but it is also extremely exciting to go with a group of friends. You’ll see that a lot of students go without dates and still enjoy themselves late into the night. Don’t be embarrassed to attend as a young bachelor or bachelorette!

Myth:

Freshman year is the most challenging year of high school.

Truth:

Not to scare you, but freshman year is only the beginning. Most say that freshman year is actually the easiest out of all four years. You’ll have more concerns to deal with as you go into sophomore, junior, and senior years, but for now, take advantage of your time, socialize, and be productive.

- Compiled by Shawna Chen